Voice Recording: A Complete Beginner’s Guide
Hello, and welcome!I’m excited to walk you through the complete basics of voice recording — the way I wish someone had taught me when I was starting out. Whether you’re making music, podcasts, YouTube videos, or voice-overs, this guide will give you the solid foundation you need.
Step 1:
Understanding the Basics
Before you hit the record button, let me tell you something I’ve learned the hard way: quality starts before you press record.
Voice recording is more than just talking into a mic. It’s about controlling your environment, your equipment, and your delivery.
Step 2:
Preparing Your Recording Space
First things first: your recording environment.
✅ Quiet Room — I always pick the quietest room possible.✅ Soft Surfaces — I place pillows, curtains, and soft materials around me to reduce echo.✅ No Distractions — Phones on silent, fans off, doors closed.
Your microphone can hear things your ears can’t — so even a quiet hum can ruin a perfect take!
Step 3:
Choosing The Right Equipment
Let me quickly list what I personally use, and what you might need too:
Item
Purpose
Microphone (USB or XLR)
Captures your voice
Audio Interface
Connects professional mics to your PC
Pop Filter
Removes “P” and “B” popping sounds
Headphones
Helps you monitor your sound in real-time
DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)
Software to record and edit
If you’re just starting, a USB microphone like the Blue Yeti or Rode NT-USB is perfect.
Step 4:
Setting Up Your Software
Every voice recording session needs software — this is called a DAW.
I often use:
🎧 Audacity (free & simple)🎧 Adobe Audition (professional)🎧 FL Studio, Cubase, Logic Pro X (music & advanced editing)
The setup usually follows these steps:
Connect your microphone.
Open your DAW.
Select your mic as the input device.
Adjust your input level — you want your voice to sit around -6dB to -12dB when speaking normally.
Save your project file before recording. Always!
Step 5
Mic Technique
Now the fun part — speaking!
🎙️ Sit or stand about 6-12 inches from your mic.🎙️ Use a pop filter to avoid distortion.🎙️ Speak clearly, avoid rushing, and maintain consistent tone and distance.
Pro Tip: Record 10-20 seconds of silence at the start of your session — this helps filter out background noise during editing.
Step 6:
Post-Production & Editing
Once recording is done, here’s what I usually do:
Noise Reduction: Clean up hums and hisses.
EQ (Equalization): Adjust bass, mids, and treble.
Compression: Balance the loud and soft parts.
De-Esser: Soften harsh “S” sounds.
Normalize: Make sure the audio isn’t too soft or too loud.
Don’t skip this step — it’s the magic that turns a raw recording into a professional-sounding voiceover.
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